Brighter than Sunshine
by SupaJusSayin
Summary: Brittany and Santana met in a very unexpected way with Brittany magically resurrected on Santana's embalming table. This is where their love story begins.
1. Forced Dreams

**AN: **I got inspired to write this after watching the movie Elvis and Anabelle. If any of you have seen I will be pretty much basing this fic from that movie but changing things up to make it more Brittana awesome. Also this is a good movie in my opinion so I definitely recommend it. I just liked the idea and thought this would be so much better if it was two girls and if those two girls were Brittany and Santana lol. Like I said I will change things up a bit. This story will have fluff, humor, drama and touch upon sensitive issues.

To add more to the summary: Brittany is participating in a beauty pageant contest and tragedy strikes. Santana works as a mortician and this is how she officially encounters Brittany. Thanks to Santana, Brittany is magically brought back to life. These two begin to form a bond afterwards learning more about each other and falling in love along the way.

Just to add a warning on the safe side, that there are a potentially few triggers in this story. I won't go into detail about any of them but it will be touched lightly upon. Triggers are Bulimia, Death, Suicide Attempts and potential abuse. These will be mentioned but I will not go into detail about it. If anyone has seen the movie it will be just like that.

I hope you enjoy.

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**Brighter than Sunshine**

_**Chapter 1. Forced Dreams**_

It was a scorching summer day which was the norm. From the outskirts of town a light breeze traveled over from the barren soil to down the field following its path up to a lonesome, white house. The sound of the light wind tapping against the window of the house was covered up by the voice of Vincent Price playing from inside the cool room. A naked body was lying on a table with tubes attached to the body as it removed the fluids from within it.

Her hands pressed down on the table in front of her as two cold blue eyes stared right back up at her. She turned her head side to side observing the stern face which appeared as stiff as always. She lifted the woman's arm up and began rotating it around slowly then laid it back on her torso. She repeated the same move with the other arm, followed by checking all the tubes. Once again she was staring at the motionless woman in front of her, this time with a smirk on her lip. Her face hovered over the corpse.

"So you finally croaked coach. Kind of ironic don't you think? Yelling how important it is to stay fit and putting me through rigorous exercises during P.E just because I didn't join your Cheerios." She scoffed at the non-responsive body as she took out and lit a cigarette, blowing smoke towards the coach's face. "Always ordering me around, making me run extra laps just because according to you, I had low self esteem thanks to my melon jugs. You always hoped you could pop one of my jugs. Calling me Tweedle McFakeboobs every chance you saw me." She leaned in closer to the face. "Well Sue what do you think now, here I am and there you are. Who has the last laugh now." Moving back she proceeded to seal Coach Sue's mouth shut.

With a grin on her face she blew another puff towards the body before closing the eyelids and placed the cigarette on the sealed mouth. There was a camera set up on the opposite side of the table she walked towards it, telling Coach Sue to smile she took a picture. Taking out an album with a collection of different corpses she placed the photo inside. To complete the job she drains the rest of the fluids out.

* * *

Santana finished the embalming process and dressed up Coach Sue in her popular red tracksuit that her family requested she be buried in. She took a peek at the funeral in progress, watching as family members paid their last respects to her cruel coach. Santana couldn't understand the point of being buried in a hideous tracksuit that everyone will see you in for the last time but even more baffling was the fact that Coach Sue had people who cared for her. Seeing everything was in order she headed back to her office down the hall.

Leaning back in her chair with her feet on the desk, she exhaled from her cigarette as she looked out her window. She watched her father play a game of golf outside.

Santana Lopez is a mortician. Technically her father was the mortician before he became ill. She has been managing the embalming practice for a couple years now, under the guise of Mr. Lopez. Everyone that has come by has believed Mr. Lopez has been the one taking care of their loved ones when really it's been her the whole time. She learned everything from her dad throughout the years but is not licensed to be a mortician and the business would fail if this truth came to light. She must continue letting everyone believe it is her dad embalming the bodies. She must also continue to hide him from clients to avoid this secret from getting out. They were constantly busy due to being the only undertakers within miles in the area. Santana felt it was her duty to take over the business and help her ailing father since he was no longer capable of ever working again. She loves him very much and would do anything for him even if it meant doing something she didn't love. Her father is the only person she has left in her family so she does her best as the funeral director.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a knock behind her. It was Coach Sue's mother and sister at the entrance of the room. She immediately put out her cigarette, straightening her black skirt and blouse as she rushed over to the women.

"Hello there is there anything I can help you with? Do you need anything?" Santana asked politely.

"Oh it's you Santana, I expected to see Mr. Lopez." Sue's mother said with a slight tremble in her voice. "Everything was so beautiful, she looked so peaceful. I'm going to miss her so much."

Santana looked at them sadly. "I'm sorry for your loss." She stood there awkwardly, taking a quick look out the window.

"We wanted to find your father dear. I don't remember when was the last time I've seen him since he stopped coming to church after your mama died." Santana merely nodded her head. "We wanted to thank him for taking good care of our Sue. Can we see him?" Santana stood up straighter getting a little nervous.

"Uh I'm sorry my father is occupied at the moment. If you would like I can pass any message you have along to him." She said quickly, hoping to end the conversation.

"Okay if he is not in then please tell him thank you for everything he did. He did such a wonderful job. Thank you for your help as well Santana." Sue's mother lightly squeezed Santana's arm as both women turned around to leave.

Santana let out a breath in relief. Once the coast was clear she went out to the field behind the house.

She watched her father play a game of golf in the middle of dead pasture.

Mateo Lopez swung his golf club as best as he could, it took him several tries before he could make it in the hole. He slowly walked over using the club as a cane, to retrieve the ball out. Mateo had formed a large hump on the left side of his back, he hunched at all times, and this led maintaining his old routine difficult on him now. After a head injury incident a couple years back Mateo's mind never fully recovered which added more difficulty to tasks he used to easily do before he became sick. He spends most of his day playing golf on the desolate field as Santana runs the family business.

She stands there for a few more minutes before calling her dad in.

* * *

"You know Tana I'm going to reach 72 one of these days you'll see." Said Mateo smiling as he explained the score he hopes to reach during a game of golf.

"I know you will dad. Will you stop playing with the radio." Santana chuckled at her father constantly changing the station. She was driving them out to do some errands in town.

"I had 80 today. I'll keep playing until I get that 72." He switched the radio station again to loud country music.

"I know you can do it papa." She switched the station back to some smooth R&B.

"I will get 72." Mateo repeated.

"I know and you will." Santana answered confidently.

After a while Mateo changed the station again, Santana rolled her eyes but was bored of changing it back. Plus she did like the song that was playing, "Can't take my Eyes Off of You." She began tapping her hands along on the steering wheel at the same time her father started swaying side to side completely offbeat to the music she blames him for her inheritance of rhythm less genes.

"You're just too good to be true  
Can't take my eyes off of you  
You'd be like heaven to touch  
I wanna hold you so much  
At long last love has arrived  
And I thank God I'm alive  
You're just too good to be true  
Can't take my eyes off of you"

She began singing lightly while her father continued dancing in his seat, still offbeat. Caught up in the song until halfway through the chorus Santana caught sight of bright blonde hair up ahead on the side of the road.

Santana doesn't know why she felt the urge to slow down her car just a tiny bit, she didn't want to slow down too much and come off like a creep. She instantly noticed the girl with the bright blonde hair, the second thing she noticed was the two other people with the girl and third thing she noticed and couldn't help giving a confused look to was at how strange all three looked standing in front of a giant billboard. She just couldn't turn her head away. She felt compelled to see who this blonde stranger was. Taking advantage that the girl looked away, she took in her appearance her long straight blonde hair, long lean body, thin lips and weary eyes. She found bright blue eyes staring straight back at her, even though the girl looked faintly tired, she found her to be gorgeous even more so with the way the light was shining on her. The girl was simply standing there yet Santana felt mesmerized. Deciding it wasn't safe to keep her eyes off the road she turned back and sped up the street. After driving past them Santana felt a little intrigued by the bright blonde girl.

The song Santana had been listening to had just finished before Mateo played with the radio once more.

* * *

She feels silly posing for a photo in front of a bigger photo of herself. It doesn't make sense to her. She doesn't even understand why there is a big photo of her, it's not like she's a lost kid or why anybody wants to see a picture of her in the first place. None of this makes sense to her.

"Come on hurry up I set up the camera." Her step father shouted as he rushed by her side making sure to put his arm low on her waist.

"Stand up straight honey, I want you to look good. Now look at the camera." Her mother told her, as she stood on her other side putting on a wide smile.

Brittany just didn't understand how those two could find this remotely exciting but if her mother was happy, she would continue to smile at the world. She would smile the exact same way her giant replica in the billboard was smiling.

Ever since Brittany was a child she has been groomed by her mother into achieving perfection. Transforming her only daughter into the perfect beauty pageant contestant. To attain this her mother stressed the importance on physical beauty, making her believe the only way to succeed in life was by being beautiful and people would love her if she was beautiful. Brittany had to maintain that image by any means possible. It was drilled into her head to get anywhere in life it all depended on her looks and she never questioned this. She did as her mother told her to do, she felt she had no other choice.

When her mother married a second time, her step dad took over as head of the house and supported the both of them since. Brittany did not get along with her step father and tried to distance herself from him as much as she could. It proved difficult to not have him be a part of her life when he paid for all her expenses and importantly all her beauty pageant costs. The only thing he asked for in return was for her to stay appealing.

There was a Brittany who beamed brightly wearing a sleek blue dress with a sash with her name on it. She was standing in front of her promotional ad in contending for Miss Texas Rose where the winner goes on to compete in Miss America pageant. The moment everything she had done was leading to. This was why she always put on a smile.

Now under her ad Brittany felt embarrassed to be standing there but was relieved when it appeared no one else was around.

"Dennis did you set up the camera right?" said Katelyn, Brittany's mother.

"Of course I did what kind of question is that? Now smile wide sweet pea." Dennis said as he lowered his arm around Brittany's waist pulling her in tightly.

Brittany made a disgusted face. "Don't ever call me that." She tried to put some space between them. "Oh shit." She should have known with her luck, in the middle of nowhere a car would come by at that moment. Now she was wondering why anyone thought it was a good idea to put a billboard in this spot.

"Sweetie, language." Katelyn scolded.

Brittany didn't understand what was taking longer, the photo to be taken or the car to drive by. She just wanted to hide maybe if she stood still she could blend in with her billboard like a lizard would.

She wanted to look anywhere but at the car so naturally she looked directly at it. The fact that the car was a Hearse caught her attention for some reason. She felt captivated to keep watching, as it felt like hours before the car finally drove in front in them. There her eyes fell instantly on the woman who was driving. She felt entranced by dark haired stranger who stared back at her with a slightly confused face. She knew she should just have stopped staring but she couldn't help it, besides the other girl wasn't looking away either. It felt as though time had indeed slowed down, but in a different way from when she first wanted the car to drive by quickly, this gave her enough time to memorize the girls face. She observed her dark hair, her light caramel skin, and her slightly pouty lips up to her stern eyes. Brittany found her to be astonishingly beautiful. She then saw another head pop up beside the dark girl, an older man who was just giving her a wide joyful smile. She swiftly looked back at the girl, and was met with dark brown eyes, falling in a trance until the stranger finally drove away.

"Whew that was creepy it gave me goosebumps. They looked so weird" Her mother said appallingly, snapping Brittany back to the moment suddenly remembering what she was doing. She couldn't help turning her head one more time towards the direction the car went, wondering who that girl was. Brittany's stepfather gave her a violent shake telling her to pose and look back at the camera.

She put on one of the many smiles she was trained to do.

* * *

**PS.**

**A/N: **I don't plan to make this story too long maybe around 10-ish chapters and I do plan on finishing this story. If anyone was reading my other superhero fic I apologize I haven't updated its just man Glee zapped all inspiration out of me. Like when I thought I was okay with what happened with Brittana they threw in another curve ball that smacked my heart. I get it they broke up let the wound heal stop showing them with other people so quickly lol, it hurts. I think I'm over glee and I can finally focus on writing a story. For those brittana fans out there that still enjoy these two before glee wipes us all out. Just remember brittana is an amazing couple just remember what you loved about them and if they helped you, how they did help you and forget about RIB they are the ones who wasted the potential in this beautiful couple. Glee and RIB are not worth getting sad over or raging over.  
I hope some of you will enjoy this story.

We will learn more about Brittany next chapter and Santana too of course. No "brittana" next chapter but its building up to their first real interaction just needs a little time before that happens.

If you like this story please tell me :D


	2. Void

**AN: **Hello so if anyone was still interested in reading this sorry I haven't updated just glee really sucked the fun out of writing for these characters. Haven't been motivated but I think I am finally over all that mess glee made. I still love brittana and I really want to finish this story. I would like to finish this while there are still brittana fans out there and glee doesn't drive everyone away next season lol. I hope you readers enjoy.

Also couple of triggers this chapter that involve bulimia and suicidal thoughts. I won't go too deep into these issues in this story but they are mentioned briefly. I just want to give a little warning.

Disclaimer: I don't own glee obviously and I don't want none of that.

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**_Chapter 2. Void_**

"Alright dad which ones do you want? Do you want the small colorful marshmallows or the giant white puffy ones? It's your choice. Now you can only pick one so think about it" Santana said giggling at her father's concentrated face deciding which marshmallows he wanted. About after five minutes of waiting for the big marshmallow decision, she decided to go ahead and finish up the grocery shopping.

"I'll be back okay. I'm just going to pick up some stuff for dinner. Take your time." She gently smiled at him before she walked to the next aisle.

When she turned the corner her cart nearly crashed into someone in front. She apologized and when she looked up she saw head of blond hair and….green eyes. She didn't know why she felt a little disappointed. She was pretty but she wasn't the bright blonde beauty she had seen earlier. "I'm sorry about that." She huffed.

The girl smiled at her and turned her attention to the side of Santana's cart. "Oh it's fine, no harm done."

"Okay." Santana turned her head to see a tiny blonde clinging to the side of her cart. "Uh excuse me." She wanted to shake the little girl off until the other blonde picked her up.

"Now it's my turn to say sorry, this little one is a handful. Beth is a little troublemaker don't know where she got it from. Let me introduce myself, my name is Quinn. You look awfully familiar to me." She carried the girl as she tried to figure out where she knows Santana from.

Santana recognized Quinn the instant she picked up the kid. She was best known for having a daughter at the tender age of sixteen, she was the talk of the town, and it was hard to forget the "infamous" young mother. They went to High School together but she really doubted Quinn would ever remember her. They didn't hang out in the same groups at school. Santana didn't feel like standing there making small chat with someone who didn't give a damn about her before and now act as if she does. Santana hated living in a small town for this reason eventually everyone starts recognizing everyone else and pretending they all knew each other in the past like they were all buddy buddy. She was about to reply to Quinn when she heard teens groaning in the aisle her father was in.

She grabbed her cart and quickly turned back around. "Sorry." Quinn just stood there still not remembering who she was. She simply went back to her shopping.

There were three large teens circling Mateo. One was mimicking Mateos disability, by dragging on side of his foot and grunting. The other two were merely laughing at their friends antics.

"eht you wat you want dah duh." The teen cruelly imitated. "Oooo mahmallows ooo erugh humph. Dey ah sho guad." Mateo lowered his head trying to block the teens out.

Santana darted straight up to the teen crashing her cart into his body pushing him backwards.

"Hey is there a problem here?" She demanded from the teen, giving him a warning glare that scares the teen. "Slim Shady why don't you stand up, roll up your baggy ass pants and leave us alone. You know I have razor blades all up on here so..I asked is there a problem here." She rolled her cart forward once more, hitting him as she continued to intimidate him under her glare.

The teen looked around a bit embarrassed and just shook his head. "No, no problem here."

"Good." Santana roughly grabbed the marshmallow bags from the counter and tossed in the cart. Then she grabbed her father's arm. "Come on dad lets go."

"Freak!" The teen shouted at them as they walked away.

* * *

"Will You Marry Meeeee."

"Wiillll Youu Marrryyy Meeeee."

A group of acappella performers sang at the airport sendoff to their next hopeful Beauty Queen. A large crowd gathered around cheering Brittany on as she smiled and waved at everyone. She was charming everyone around her before leaving to the competition.

"That was really good. And you know it took him long enough but I finally got him to say yes." Brittany joked speaking to the mayor. The mayor responded with good humor that everyone is invited to the wedding. Brittany said good bye to the town's people who came to support her as she went to board her flight.

Her parents were already seated inside and she took the mandatory job of greeting everyone who was on the flight with her. She went to say hello to her mother and noticed how her lovely stepfather was blatantly checking out the flight attendant who passed by right in front her. Her mother noticed as well, she simply looked disgusted and rolled her eyes. Brittany just shook her head at what occurred then continued walking down the plane towards the restroom after a few more hello's to strangers.

She rushed into the bathroom, quickly locking the door. She lifted the toilet seat up in a hurry and forced two fingers into her throat. This led to her immediately throwing up the little food she ate throughout the day into the toilet bowl. She felt she has grown accustomed to the taste of bile as this has become a normal ritual for her every day. She was about to try again when someone knocked on the door. She told them she would be out in a second. After flushing the toilet she washed her mouth out with water and grabbed a breath mint. Right before leaving she lifted up her shirt and began pinching the little "fat" she had. This is what Brittany had to do to maintain beauty and be perfect to everyone's judgmental eyes. All that could be seen were ribs and hip bones sticking out, and very flat stomach.

Brittany clutched more skin examining herself. "Almost there, just a little bit more I can do this." She stared up at the mirror seeing her tired, faded eyes reflecting back at her.

* * *

Santana is staring at her father praying. After they finished grocery shopping they purchased flowers and drove out to the bridge where the both of them are alone by the side. Santana is watching her father pray silently to himself as tears slide down his face. Santana doesn't pray along with him, she just stands to the side of him waiting for him to end. Once he is done, he starts walking back to the car with the flowers still in his hands.

"Dad the flowers." Santana reminds him.

"Oh okay." Mateo responded and threw the flowers over the side of the bridge. He started to walk back to the car.

"I'll meet you back there in a few minutes dad." Santana gave him a small hug. She walks by the side railings gazing out at what was in front of her. The trees leaves falling down into the river flowing underneath her, as the scorching sun glares down on her. Santana just blankly stares ahead and begins to slowly walk closer to the very edge of the bridge. She looks down at the river as though just noticing how high she really is, still walking to edge. Santana thinks about the accident that night on the bridge, thinks how her father is sick, she can't help but think about Quinn spending her life here in this noisy town with a child, or how she will most likely end up working at the funeral parlor for the rest of her life. She takes another step, half her foot slides over the edge before she could do anything else, a sudden gust of wind pushes her gently back enough to step away from the edge. Santana looks up at the bright sky wondering where the wind came from so fast, seeing the trees move along with it the leaves blowing in her direction only then just as swiftly the wind disappears.

Santana feels a little confused but decides to head back to the car and go back home.

* * *

Later that night Santana sings to her father as he listens happily. Every night she plays her guitar and sings to him. This helps Mateo fall asleep easier putting him in a serene state.

"Mmm what about if I change this chord and I slow down as I sing this verse." Santana also finds it easier to write her songs with her dad listening. "I don't know how I feel about this though. What do you think is better if I sing it really low or really high?" She sang both notes to demonstrate. Mateo didn't seem to like either and made a bored face. He faked yawned which made Santana raise her eyebrows at him. "Well that was just rude."

Mateo smiled at her as if he had the perfect answer for her. "You should sing it in riffs. It sounds beautiful when you sing that way, God gave you that wonderful voice." It was now Santana's turn to let out a small smile.

"You only want to hear me sing that way because you just learned the word." Santana joked. "But I think you are right pops, that's exactly what this song needs. You have a very good ear probably better than I do." Santana smiled at him.

"Of course I do, where you think you got it from."

"If I sang baby got back you probably think that would be wonderful too."

Mateo had no idea what song that was. "Well if it came from you I'm sure it be good." Santana lightly laughed and turned back to writing her song. Mateo only watched his daughter focusing on her song while sitting next to him on a Friday night.

"Tana when you gona meet a gal?" Mateo asked seriously.

"I don't need a girl right now dad."Santana smirks at him, hoping to end the conversation.

Mateo keeps asking. "Aren't you lonely? Don't you want to meet someone and be happy?"

Santana keeps smirking. Focusing harder on her writing. "Dad I don't need anyone. I have you and I'm good with that right now. I don't need anyone from this town. Plus I doubt I'll meet anyone with my interests anyway."

"How do you know if you don't go out and talk to people."

Now Santana is getting a little annoyed. "Why do I want to meet someone here anyways. I'm not lonely I have you and I'm busy with the morgue."

"Still don't you want a girlfriend. I know I want grandkids someday, hopefully soon. I'm not going to live forever ya know."

"Don't say things like that and Um dad I don't think you would get grandkids even if I had a gal. That's not how it works unless Darwin missed something in his discovery of evolution." She was now scribbling on her notepad.

"Of course you would have kids you are a Lopez. I really want to see grandkids running around here." Mateo was imagining kids playing golf with him outside.

She threw her notepad and pencil on the floor. "Enough. I said I'm not sad so drop it already." Santana snapped at him.

Mateo now has a wounded face. "I'm sorry Tana." He whispered quietly. "Are you mad at me now?"

Santana gave an exhausted sigh, she felt bad losing her temper. "No, I'm not mad at you. I could never be mad at you. I'm sorry. Just believe me I'm happy okay, I got you, I don't need anyone else."

"ok mija"

The older man was slowly falling asleep. Santana pulled the covers over him and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Good night old man."

Santana picked up her notepad and pencil, and then went to sit outside in the front of the house. She pulled up a blanket around her and lit up a cigarette to relax. She saw her dad fall asleep through the window with a somber look, she looked intently out towards the road. This is where her life is and her father needs her to be here. She can't ever leave him besides this is all she knows. Sitting by herself smoking on the porch, Santana tries to convince herself she isn't the least bit lonely.

* * *

AN2: Anyone reading out there don't worry more brittana will happen most likely after the next chapter just building it up to it. The payoff will be worth it too. Also I am going to update this story much faster for sure from now on. Thank you for reading.


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